Deyana Kostadinova has been appointed as the new UNICEF Representative in the Republic of Moldova

Chisinau, 15 July 2026 – Ms. Deyana Kostadinova has been appointed as UNICEF Representative in the Republic of Moldova, bringing extensive experience in child rights, human rights, social policy, public administration and international cooperation.

In her new role, Ms. Kostadinova will lead UNICEF’s work in Moldova to advance the rights, protection, development and wellbeing of every child, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. She will provide strategic leadership and vision to UNICEF Moldova, strengthening the organization’s collaboration with the Government, development partners, civil society and communities to achieve lasting results for children and families.

Prior to her appointment in Moldova, Ms. Kostadinova served as UNICEF Representative in Serbia, a position she assumed in October 2020. 

Before joining UNICEF, she was the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Bulgaria to the United Nations Office at Geneva and took part in the work of the Human Rights Council.

Ms. Kostadinova has held several senior public positions in Bulgaria, including Head of the Cabinet of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Advisor to the Prime Minister, and Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy. In these roles, she contributed to the development and implementation of policies in the areas of social protection, labour market, education, healthcare, culture and human resources development.

She also served as Director-General of the Child Rights Monitoring Directorate, where she oversaw the monitoring of child protection departments, specialized institutions, schools, hospitals and non-governmental organizations.

Ms. Kostadinova holds a Master of Laws degree from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. She began her career as a lawyer in private practice, specializing in human rights, with a particular focus on child rights.